Disabilities under IDEA
by Sam Lovetro
1. Deaf individuals may use sign language, read lips, use a combination of both, or neither.
1.1. ...Which can make the following tasks difficult:
1.2. Learning by lectures
1.3. Participating in classroom discussions
1.4. Giving oral presentations
1.5. Taking oral exams
1.6. Note taking
1.7. Watching educational films
2. Difficulty taking tests and exams
3. Deafness
4. Multiple Disabilites
4.1. Common educational challenges revolve around the following issues:
4.2. Finding a setting suitable to the child’s intelligence level
4.3. A child’s ability to effectively communicate with teachers, support staff and peers
4.4. A student’s capability to function in the classroom
4.5. Assessing and compensating for visual or hearing impairments
5. Orthopedic Impairment
5.1. Possible academic barriers include:
5.2. Non-accessible transportation
5.3. Trouble maneuvering around the classroom
5.4. Difficulty navigating school hallways
5.5. Earning mandated physical education credit
5.6. Communicating effectively
6. Other Health Impairment
6.1. The academic barriers related to AD/HD involve trouble concentrating and difficulty sitting still. The vast majority of students served in the OHI category have AD/HD. Since that disorder was included in this category, the number of students labeled OHI has grown significantly.
7. Specific Learning Disability
7.1. specific learning disabilities commonly affect skills in the areas of:
7.2. Reading (called dyslexia)
7.3. Writing (called dysgraphia)
7.4. Listening
7.5. Speaking
7.6. Reasoning
7.7. Math (called dyscalculia)
8. Speech or Language Impairment
8.1. Some of these challenges might involve:
8.2. Communicating effectively with classmates and teachers
8.3. Understanding and/or giving oral presentations
8.4. Participating in classroom discussions
8.5. Attaining normalcy within a group
9. Traumatic Brain Injury
9.1. The above issues lead to some unique educational challenges, such as those listed below.
9.2. Problems with following complex directions
9.3. Difficulty learning new skills
10. Visual Impairment (including blindness)
10.1. Such challenges may entail:
10.2. Safely maneuvering around the classroom
10.3. Conceptualizing objects
10.4. Reading
10.5. Operating standard educational tools such as calculators and word processing software
11. Suggested Intervention/ Modifications
12. move about safely and independently, which is known as orientation and mobility (O&M);
13. use assistive technologies designed for children with visual impairments;
14. use what residual vision they have effectively and efficiently; and
15. read and write in Braille, if determined appropriate by the IEP team of the child after a thorough evaluation. (11)
16. Give the student more time to finish schoolwork and tests.
17. Give directions one step at a time. For tasks with many steps, it helps to give the student written directions.
18. Show the student how to perform new tasks. Give examples to go with new ideas and concepts.
19. Have consistent routines. This helps the student know what to expect. If the routine is going to change, let the student know ahead of time.
20. Check to make sure that the student has actually learned the new skill. Give the student lots of opportunities to practice the new skill.
21. Show the student how to use an assignment book and a daily schedule. This helps the student get organized.
22. Realize that the student may get tired quickly. Let the student rest as needed. Reduce distractions.
23. Keep in touch with the student’s parents. Share information about how the student is doing at home and at school.
24. Be flexible about expectations. Be patient. Maximize the student’s chances for success.
25. regular speech, language, and auditory training from a specialist;
26. amplification systems;
27. services of an interpreter for those students who use sign language;
28. favorable seating in the class to facilitate lip reading;
29. captioned films/videos;
30. assistance of a notetaker, who takes notes for the student with a hearing loss, so that the student can fully attend to instruction;
31. instruction for the teacher and peers in alternate communication methods, such as sign language; and
32. counseling.
33. regular speech, language, and auditory training from a specialist;
34. amplification systems;
35. services of an interpreter for those students who use sign language;
36. favorable seating in the class to facilitate lip reading;
37. captioned films/videos;
38. assistance of a notetaker, who takes notes for the student with a hearing loss, so that the student can fully attend to instruction;
39. instruction for the teacher and peers in alternate communication methods, such as sign language; and
40. counseling.
41. Autism
41.1. Three areas of life that are affected by Autism:
41.2. Social interaction
41.3. Communication -- both verbal and nonverbal
41.4. Behaviors and interests
42. Developmental Delay
42.1. DD may include problems with:
42.2. language or speech
42.3. vision
42.4. movement -- motor skills
42.5. social and emotional skills
42.6. thinking -- cognitive skills
43. Deaf-Blindness
43.1. Deaf-Blindness means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
43.1.1. the following could be potential issues in class:
43.1.2. Understanding classroom lectures
43.1.3. Participating in class discussions
43.1.4. Presenting oral reports
43.1.5. Fulfilling reading assignments